Christ in the Community

If your church were to close the doors today, would the community notice? This question is often asked to convey the need to be present and helping in the community. Many times, pastors and church members feel they are active in the community because they are doing x or y. However, sometimes x and y are things the community doesn’t need or doesn’t know the church is there doing it.

It is very important for the church to exegete the community in order to determine what needs are present, and which ones the members of the church can meet. This will allow your church to be able to provide real ministry care rather than symbolic ministry. Symbolic ministry is the type of ministry where the church goes out and does something that the community doesn’t need, but the church feels good about it when they are done. Unfortunately, the church members are the only ones who are helped in this instance. Strive to do ministry that meets real needs in the community. There may be needs present that are beyond the abilities of the members of your church. In this situation, you can partner with other churches in the association to meet the needs.

As you are doing ministry in the community, don’t forget the most important thing. Charles Roesel, Pastor Emeritus of FBC Leesburg, FL, stated, “As a local church, find out what’s not being done in your community and do it! You’re the only one who can make sure they have a Christian witness.” The key to effective community ministry is that you remember that you are being a witness for Jesus Christ. Don’t fill their stomachs without addressing the needs of their hearts.

What works best? That depends on the needs of your community. Here are three steps to implementing a ministry evangelism strategy:

Prayer walk through the neighborhoods of your community. Pray onsite with insight. Investigate the issues and concerns of your neighbors. Prayerfully travel through the neighborhoods asking God to reveal the best approach to meet needs in the community.

Identify four or five key needs of the community. Meet with your church members, and ask them to prayerfully consider how to meet these needs. Is it something that your members are equipped to handle, or do you need to find help? Design a strategy to minister to the community needs.

Implement the strategy. Meet the needs. Share the gospel. Every three months or so, evaluate the effectiveness of the ministry. Reboot as necessary.

Some examples of effective ministry evangelism projects are*:

Ministries to Parents and Married Couples

Family seminars

Parents’ day out

Marriage-enrichment seminars and retreats

Cradle Roll

Premarital counseling and seminars

Lamaze/birthing classes

Ministries to Women

Pregnancy care

Women’s care

Clothing

Lamaze/birthing classes

Ministries to Men

Rescue mission

Single fathers

Clothing

Ministry to Children

Day care

Mother’s day out

School clothing

School backpacks

Foster care

Summer day camp

Vacation Bible School

After-school care

Tutoring

GED program

Fall Festival, Trunk or Treat

Ministry to Senior Adults

Adult day care

Homebound ministry

Nursing homes

Transportation to church, doctor’s appointments, and treatments

Lawn care

Widows

Day outings

Ministry to Single Adults

Car repair

Home care

Meet and Greet

Ministry to Special Needs

Deaf persons

Blind persons

Caregivers

Health-Care Ministries

Aerobics

Healthy lifestyle seminars

Health screening

Bloodmobile

Flu shots & school physicals

Clinic

Sports Ministries

Athletic events, host

Athletic teams, provide a meal before a game or, popsicles during practice

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Published by Jeffrey Farmer

Jeffrey Farmer, serves as Associate Director of the Caskey Center for Church Excellence and as Associate Professor of Church Ministry and Evangelism at Leavell College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he holds degrees from Georgia Southern University (BS) and NOBTS (M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D.). He has served as a student minister, music minister, minister of education, minister of evangelism, and church planter/pastor in his 20+ years of ministry. Farmer has a heart for bivocational and smaller membership church pastors, having served in that ministry setting for a majority of his time in ministry.
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